Anchor for tiltable sash balancer



May 6, 1969 J, PERRY 3,441,978

ANCHOR FOR TILTABLE SASH BALANCER Filed Nov. 6, 1967 JAM'f 6. PL-R/PYINVENTOR.

BY W

,4 rro/e/vsy United States Patent US. Cl. 16-197 6 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE This application discloses an anchor for the balancespring of a tilt type window sash. The invention resides in theconstruction, arrangement and functioning of the anchor element. Theanchor consists of a substantially U-shaped member, the free end of eachleg having an outwardly directed portion. The end portion of one leg hasa hook formed thereon for receiving the end of the balancer spring. Theend portion of the other leg has a radius, terminating in a lip formedthereon, for receiving a cylindrical wedge element, the latter elementhas a downwardly directed locking arm. The same leg has an inclinedsection for receiving the cylindrical wedge. The central opening of saidU-shaped member is arranged to receive the arm of a bracket carried onthe window sash. There being an angular face on the inside wall of thelast named leg for tilting said U-shaped member into nonlocki-ngposition when the arm of the sash bracket contacts it. The centralopening of the U-shaped member is of sufficient width to permit a 90degree rotation of the sash bracket arm therein, so that the window sashmay be tilted and removed from the window frame.

This invention relates to anchors for window balancer springs and hasparticular reference to an anchor for the balancer spring of a tilt typewindow sash.

An object of this invention is to improve devices such as disclosed inprevious patents issued to me, being US. Patents Nos. 2,989,773 and3,296,652, which patents had reference to window sashes which wereremovable, but not inwardly tiltable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sash balancer springanchor for a tilt type window, which is simple in construction,economical to manufacture and efiicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor of the characterindicated, which is particularly efiicient when used with window framesusing plastic weather strips, which often vary in tolerance.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchoring device of thecharacter indicated which is constructed and arranged with means toprevent locking of the anchor, when the sash is in contact with thesill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated, which is constructed and arranged, so that the sash of adouble hung window may be tilted inwardly and lifted out of the windowframe.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor for a sashbalancer spring, which may be actuated from the side of the sash insteadof the front.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated, which has a comparatively large area of contact, whereby thelocking pressures are distributed over a greater area. This isparticularly advantageous when used with comparatively soft plasticweather strips.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated which is constructed and arranged with an element having adepending arm which can effectively and positively lock the anchormember, although there is considerable variation in the channel3,441,978 Patented May 6, 1969 width, inasmuch as it has a comparativelylengthy travel along the locking surface of the anchor member.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being madefrom time to time to the accompanying drawing, forming part of thewithin disclosure, in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, front elevational view with parts in section,of a window frame and sash equipped with the device embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, with parts broken away, andparts in section, showing a double hung window frame equipped withweather strips and the device embodying the invention. This view showsthe lower sash tilted preparatory to removal from the frame, and withthe anchor in locking position, and also shows the upper sash lowered tothe sill and with its anchor in unlocked position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, in perspective, showing theside jamb of a window frame, with a weather strip attached thereto, andschematically illustrating the device embodying the invention withrelation to the other elements of the disclosure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understoodthat in the embodiment herein disclosed the reference character 7indicates, in general, the frame, and reference character 8 indicates,in general, the sash of a window equipped with the device embodying theinvention.

The window frame assembly is provided with a weather strip 9, which hasthe general characteristics, shape, and contour as shown in FIG. 3. Theweather strip 9 may be either a metal, or a plastic extrustion, and isattached to the frame 7 by means of nails 10, or other suitable means.

As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the back of the weather strip 9 is providedwith a pair of flexible wings 11, which normally space the weather stripfrom the frame 7. The weather strip 9, shown in FIG. 3, is designed toaccommodate double hung windows, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and isprovided with longitudinal channels 12 and 13, which are substantiallyrectangular in cross section, in each of which channels the anchormember 14 (FIG. 3) embodying the invention, is arranged to travel ashereinafter described.

It will be noted that the anchor member 14 (FIG. 3) is rotated degreesfrom the position of the anchor members 14, shown in FIG. 2. The anchormember 14 will function in the same manner in the channels 12 and 13,whether it be positioned as shown in FIG. 3, or positioned as shown inFIG. 2, inasmuch as the side walls of the channels 12 and 13 are thesame on either side.

Each anchor member 14 is suspended at the end of the balancer spring 15,as in conventional practice.

The anchor member 14 is actuated by means of an L shaped bracket 16(FIGS. 1 and 3), which is secured to the side edge of the sash 17(FIG. 1) by screws 18, or other suitable means.

The anchor member 14 is a substantially U-shaped, metal casting, whichis of sufficient width and thickness to substantially, laterally fillone of the longitudinal channels 12 and 13. One leg of the anchor member14 is provided with a book 19, which is arranged to receive the end 20of the spring 15. The other leg of the U-shaped anchor member has anoutwardly directed portion 21 and an undercut radius 22, which radiusterminates in a lip 23, which radial portion 22 and lip 23 are adaptedto receive and hold a cylinder wedge element 24 (FIG. 3), which cylinderelement 24 has a depending arm 25, which arm 25 serves as a bearingmember and helps lock the anchor when the latter is being wedged. Italso serves as a runner or skid for the anchor, when not being wedged.

:It also holds the cylindrical wedge member 24 out of wedging positionwhen the anchor member 14 reaches the bottom of the channel 13, as shownin FIG. 2. The arm 25 prevents the anchor 14 from getting stuck in thebottom of a channel when a sash is lowered to the sill 26, as shown atthe right in FIG. 2.

The anchor member 14 has an angular face 27 (FIG. 3) on the inside ofthe leg carrying the elements 21, 22, and 23, which face 27 is arrangedto receive the short leg 28 (FIG. 3) of the bracket 16. The short leg 28normally moves up and down in the slot 13A of the channel 13. Thechannel 12 has a similar slot 12A for receiving the short leg 28 of thebracket 16. This arrangement holds the anchor 14 in unlocked positionand free to travel in the channel so long as the weight of the sashrests on the anchor member 14. This is clearly shown in the rightportion of FIG. 2. In this view (FIG. 2) it will be seen that the anchormember 14 (upper sash) is in contact with the sill 26, yet is free totravel in the channel 13 with the sash and under the influence of thebalancer 15. In this view it will also be seen that the wedge member 24is held in the radial portion 22, and on the lip 23, and out of wedgingposition, because the bottom of the arm 25 is resting on the sill 26.

In FIG. 2 is illustrated the sill 26 and the lower portion of the doublehung frame, in which the reference character 17A indicates the lowersash, and the reference character 17B indicates the upper sash, which inthis position is lowered to the sill 26.

In the left portion of FIG. 2, the lower sash 17A is tilted inwardly andmay be removed from the anchor 14, by cocking the sash, so that theelement 28 of the bracket 16 may be lifted from the anchor 14. When thesash is so tilted, as shown in the left portion of FIG. 2, the weight ofthe sash is removed from the anchor 14, so that the anchor 14 is urgedupwardly by the spring 15. This upward movement by the spring permitsthe anchor 14 to rock from the position shown at the right in FIG. 2 tothe position shown at the left in FIG. 2. When so rocked the cylindricalelement 24 is free of the lip 23 and falls on the angular face 29 of theanchor member, causing a wedging action between the face 29, and theside of the channel 12, and between the bottom of the anchor 14 and thearm 25, thereby locking the anchor member 14 against further movement.

When the sash 17A is again replaced in the window frame and the leg 28of the bracket 16 is inserted in the central opening 14A of the anchor14, and returned to its normal vertical position in the frame, theweight of the sash will again rest on the anchor 14, causing it toassume the position shown at the right in FIG. 2, free of the wedgingaction and free to travel in its channel under the influence of thebalancer spring 15.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from theforegoing description.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have disclosed a novel anchorfor a balancer spring, which will permit either the lower or the uppersash to be tilted and removed from the window frame with ease, at thesame time anchoring the lower end of the balancer spring in position forthe replacement of the sash in the frame.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. An anchor for a tilt type window sash balancer spring, positioned inthe channel of a window weather strip, comprising a substantiallyU-shaped body, having a hook on one leg thereof for receiving the end ofsaid spring, a radial section, terminating in a lip, formed on theoutside of the other leg, an angular face on said last leg below saidlip, and a cylindrical member receivable in said radial section and onsaid lip, for holding said cylindrical member off said angular face whensaid body is in one position and permitting said cylindrical member tocontact said angular face to cause a wedging action between said angularface and a wall of said channel when sid body is in another position.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said cylindrical member has adepending arm which extends beyond the lower edge of said body, andholds said cylindrical body 01f said angular face when said body is atthe bottom of said weather strip channel.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said U-shaped body member has asecond angular face on the inside of the leg carrying said first namedangular face, said second angular face being arranged to receive theshort leg of an L-shaped bracket carried on the outside edge of the saidwindow sash, and extended through a longitudinal slot in said weatherstrip.

4. The structure of claim 1, in which the width and thickness of saidU-shaped body is slightly less than the inside dimensions of the channelin said weather strip.

5. The structure of claim 1, in which said cylindrical member has an armdepending from one side, which arm limits the rotation of saidcylindrical member.

6. The structure of claim 1, in which the central opening of saidU-shaped member is of suflicient width to permit the degree rotationtherein of one leg of an L-shaped bracket carried on the marginal edgeof a tilt type window sash.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,124,849 3/1964 Osten 16-1973,233,278 2/ 1966 Lundgren 16-197 3,296,652 1/1967 Perry 16197 BOBBY R.GAY, Primary Examiner.

5 U. L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner.

